Molecular Marker Technology for Crop Improvement

Abstract

Since the 1980s, agriculture and plant breeding have changed with the development of molecular marker technology. In recent decades, different types of molecular markers have been used for different purposes: mapping, marker-assisted selection, characterization of genetic resources, etc. These have produced effective genotyping, but the results have been costly and time-consuming, due to the small number of markers that could be tested simultaneously. Recent advances in molecular marker technologies such as the development of high-throughput genotyping platforms, genotyping by sequencing, and the release of the genome sequences of major crop plants open new possibilities for advancing crop improvement. This Special Issue collects sixteen research studies, including the application of molecular markers in eleven crop species, from the generation of linkage maps and diversity studies to the application of marker-assisted selection and genomic prediction.

Molecular Markers: Their Importance, Types, and Applications in Modern Agriculture

“…Agricultural and plant breeding achievements have moved as molecular marker technology has advanced [10]. Current molecular marker developments, such as the development of high-throughput genotyping devices, genotyping by sequencing, and the availability of significant agricultural plant genome sequences, have opened up new opportunities for crop improvement [40]. With the progress of molecular biology, a new type of marker based on polymorphisms in the DNA sequence known as molecular markers has arisen, opening up new possibilities for plant breeding difficulties [23].…”